


Don't Be Afraid

by jacobby



Series: How to Save the World [2]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 20:52:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10624935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacobby/pseuds/jacobby
Summary: A look back on Billy and Tommy's first day of school.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i'm not the proudest of this, i think?? it's my first writing from a child's point of view and i suppose it's a bit wonky. but anyway, wanted this out of the way so i can write the other stuff.

Billy was nervous. It took a lot of cooing and cuddling from his brother to finally calm him down and put him to sleep. He was still afraid to cry too much in front of Daddy and Papa because he was afraid that he’ll lose them. They’ll get tired of him and hate him and they’ll give him back to the nice ladies at the orphanage.

But today. Today he was trembling even when he did his best not to. The new day meant school meant being away from Daddy and Papa meant having to be with other people who can hurt him the way the other kids did at the orphanage. Tears were shed and Billy clung hard on Daddy’s shirt when he picked him up from bed.

“Baby, come back for you, we promise,” Papa said. He was carrying Tommy so the boy could hold Billy’s hand.

“I’ll be there, Billy! I’m not goin’ away. I’ll si’ beside ya and everythin’. Promise.” Billy believed Tommy; his brother always kept his promises no matter what.

Billy was still afraid, but his crying tamed and he pulled away from hugging Daddy to look at Tommy. “Ya promise?”

“Yeah, yeah. I do! Ya believe me, right, Daddy?”

“Of course I do, sweetheart,” Daddy said. He kissed Billy’s cheek to show his support and Billy leaned closer to the touch. “My boy is a brave boy. Brave and strong!” Daddy tossed him in the air and Billy’s eyes widened. A sense of excitement flooded his chest and he giggled as Daddy caught him. “Like a superhero.”

“I’m a super-eero? Is it b’cause you made me fly, Daddy?”

“Oh, oh!” Tommy bounced up and down in Papa’s arms. “I’m super-eero! I can run super fast. Right, Papa?”

“You’re our little superheroes, boys.” Papa said, nudging his nose at Tommy’s chin.

“But!” Daddy started, “superheroes need their breakfast. It’s where they get their superhero energy from. Right, Papa?” Daddy winked at Papa. Billy looked at Papa expectantly without exactly knowing what he was expecting from him.

“Yes!” Papa exclaimed. “Yes, they do. Now, will you please eat breakfast with us, Billy boy? So you’ll get fueled up for the day and can carry on with your superhero duties.”

“I guess.” He was still hesitant as he clutched once again at Daddy’s shirt. “Okay.”

Breakfast wasn’t as bad as Billy thought it would be. In fact, Daddy’s pancakes relieved so much of the fears and emotions stirring up in his stomach that he was able to consume them faster than his brother did. Syrup spilled all over his plate, as well as his brother’s. He asks Daddy what he was drinking and if he could have some, since he said it was where he got his superhero energy from.

Daddy laughed. “When you’re older, baby, maybe.”

After breakfast was done, the boys were sent upstairs with Daddy to change. He put them in matching blue shirts, khaki pants and running shoes. Billy and Tommy stare at themselves in the mirror to check if they liked how they look. Billy announced that he liked it while Tommy didn’t say anything as he posed his best superhero poses. Daddy laughed and the boys laughed along with him. Billy loved laughing with Daddy. It meant Daddy was enjoying his company, and that mattered to him a lot

“You boys look a little too alike today,” Papa pointed out. He eyed Daddy but cracked a smile when Daddy grinned at him.

They drove to school with the music on low volume while Daddy and Papa talked with some earpieces. Billy kept quiet, knowing that they were busy, while Tommy just made noises to himself and played with the toys they had in the backseat. None of the background sounds helped as Billy’s tension seeped back.  He took Tommy’s hand without asking, and Tommy just held his in response. They sat like that for the rest of the ride until the school was in view.

Daddy looked towards the backseat, eying them carefully. He gave Billy a soft smile before saying, “now, I want you to remember that we’re going to be back, okay? Papa and I just need to go to work for a little bit.”

“Super-eero work?” Billy asked a little quietly.

“Yeah,” Daddy said, but his voiced had gone soft. “Superhero work. And you’ll be doing superhero things here in school.”

“Billy,” Papa said. The was already parked beside a tree by the school. “We love you. I get why you’re afraid, baby. But we need you to be brave for us. Can you do that, honey?”

“Dun’ worry, Bill! I’ll be there,” Tommy said.

“Okay” was Billy’s only response before Daddy and Papa took them out of their car seats and held their hands towards the entrance of their school. It wasn’t as threatening as Billy thought. The walls looked colorful and there were decorations everywhere. It looked pretty. But not as pretty as their room. Their room had stars and planets and the entire galaxy painted on the walls. On the ceiling, there were stars that glowed when it was dark enough.

School was pretty but their room was _magic._

He wanted to go home.

But Daddy and Papa were already saying goodbye. They kissed both their cheeks and gave them a tight hug before handing them over to the lady they met some days ago. She had a kind smile on her face and Billy took both her hand as well as Tommy’s.

He didn’t cry. Crying wouldn’t be the superhero thing to do.

Instead, he went up the front of the class when he was called to introduce himself—with his brother in tow, because he still couldn’t quite handle the idea of being alone. “My name is William Stark. You can call me Billy,” he said while Tommy exclaimed, “this is my brother.” Tommy was smiling; he was not and yet the teacher gave them both a thumbs up. His lips quirked up, only a little bit, just to show the teacher that he was appreciative of the reaction. He went back to his seat hurriedly.

“Very good, Tommy and Billy.” The teacher’s face was overcome with confusion. “Er, Tommy?”

“Yes?” Tommy answered.

“Ah, good. Now today, we’re going to…”

The rest of the day was spent learning about the alphabet and the numbers. By the end of it, they were coloring and Billy was finishing up Tommy when the bell rang.

“’M not yet done!” Billy said.

But the teacher stamped his paper with a star anyway, and told the class to make _sure_ and absolutely make sure that they show their parents their work.

“Bu’ ‘m not yet done,” Billy whispered, mostly to himself. He shoved the paper down his bag and headed out at the sight of Daddy’s head peeking through the doorway.

Tommy was already running his way towards Daddy, drawing in his hands and hands in the air as if he struck gold. Billy hugged his bag tightly as he made his way over towards the outdoors.

“Hi, Daddy.”

“Do you have your drawing, Bill?” Daddy said as he held Billy’s hand with his free hand, the other hand was already holding Tommy’s.

“Um—‘m not yet done?” Billy tried to reason.

“That’s okay, baby. I’m sure it looks great.”

He gave Daddy the drawing when they got in the car and they were safely in their car seats. Daddy took a look and smiled.

“Looks like you’ve got white hair, Tom,” he mused with a grin. “It looks great, baby!”

“But it’s not finished yet!” Billy said as Tommy yelled, “Oh, cool, I’ve got white hair!”

“Tommy doesn’t seem to mind you gave him white hair? Right, Tommy? And you gave me and Papa capes. But you know there’s something missing, baby?”

Billy’s twisted in pain. “What?”

“You and Tommy deserve capes, too.” Daddy smiled.

Billy smiled back. His chest felt warm.

They went home in peace, and in slumber for the young boys. Billy dreamed of flying high in the stars with Tommy, Daddy, and Papa, and the moment was pure, the moment was precious.

The moment was  _magic._

**Author's Note:**

> again, kudos and comments are appreciated! so are concrits, but no hate please and thank you. tumblr is jacobbyyy to those interested. v.v


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